0960-AH71 201610 The Regulatory Plan and the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions 0960 Social Security Administration SSA Ensuring Program Uniformity at the Hearing and Appeals Council Levels of the Administrative Review Process

We propose to revise our rules so that more of our procedures at the administrative law judge (ALJ) and Appeals Council levels of our administrative review process are consistent nationwide. We propose revisions to:

1) the time-frame for notifying claimants of a hearing date;

2) the information in our hearing notices;

3) the period when we require claimants to inform us about or submit written evidence, written statements, objections to the issues, and subpoena requests;

4) what constitutes the official record; and

5) the manner in which the Appeals Council considers additional evidence.

We anticipate that these nationally consistent procedures will enable us to administer our disability programs more efficiently and better serve the public.

]]> Other Significant Previously Published in The Unified Agenda Final Rule Stage No No 20 CFR 404.935 20 CFR 404.938 20 CFR 404.939 20 CFR 944 20 CFR 404.949 20 CFR 404.950 20 CFR 404.951 20 CFR 404.970 20 CFR 976 20 CFR 405 RECINDED & RESERVED 20 CFR 416.1435 20 CFR 416.1438 20 CFR 416.1439 20 CFR 416.1444 20 CFR 416.1449 20 CFR 416.1450 20 CFR 416.1451 20 CFR 416.1470 20 CFR 416.1476 20 CFR 404.900 20 CFR 404.929 20 CFR 404.968 20 CFR 416.1400 20 CFR 416.1429 20 CFR 416.1468 42 U.S.C. 401(j) 42 U.S.C. 404(f) 42 U.S.C. 405(a) to 405(b) 42 U.S.C. 405(d) to 405(h) 42 U.S.C. 405(j) 42 U.S.C. 405(s) 42 U.S.C. 421 42 U.S.C. 421 note 42 U.S.C. 423(a) to 423(b) 42 U.S.C. 423(i) 42 U.S.C. 902(a)(5) 42 U.S.C. 902 note 42 U.S.C. 1381 42 U.S.C. 1381a 42 U.S.C. 1383 42 U.S.C. 1383b Yes

We propose to revise parts 404 and 416 to make more of our procedures at the hearings and Appeals Council levels consistent nationwide. These changes would bring the vast majority of the part 405 procedures in line with the procedures in parts 404 and 416, so we propose to remove part 405 in its entirety. We anticipate that under nationally consistent procedures, we will be able to administer our disability programs more efficiently and better serve the public.

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Administrative--not required by statute or court order.

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Based on our program experience, there are no alternatives at this time.

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Undetermined.

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Undetermined.

]]> NPRM 07/12/2016 81 FR 45079 NPRM Comment Period Extended 08/04/2016 81 FR 51412 NPRM Comment Period End 08/11/2016 NPRM Comment Period Extended End 08/26/2016 Final Action 12/00/2016 No No None No No www.regulations.gov No No William Gibson P. Social Insurance Specialist, Regulations Writer 0960 Social Security Administration SSA 410 966-9039 william.gibson@ssa.gov Office of Regulations and Reports Clearance, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore MD 21235-6401